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AHoly Week procession is a public ritual march of clergy and penitents which takes place duringHoly Week inChristian countries, especially those with aCatholic culture. Various images of the saints, especially theVirgin Mary, and most importantly the image of thecrucified Christ are carried aloft by foot on shoulder-bornepasos (or on wheeledcarrozas in the Philippines) as an act ofpenance; acts ofmortification are carried out; traditionalChristian hymns and chants are sung (except during the silent processions ofGood Friday). In manyconfraternities of penitents, the faces of the members are covered by elaborate hoods, such as thecapirote, as a way of hiding one's identity in order to not ostentatiously draw attention to oneself while performing penance. Crosses, and biers holding Catholic holy images surrounded with flowers and offerings of candles, are carried usually from one parish church to another led by the clergy, monastic orders, or heads of the penitential orders.[1]
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InSpain,Semana Santa processions are among the most elaborate and culturally significant in the world. These events, rooted inmedieval andBaroque traditions, are organized by Catholic brotherhoods (cofradías) that carry ornate floats (pasos) through the streets, depicting scenes from thePassion of Christ and the Sorrows of theVirgin Mary. Participants often wear penitential robes and conical hoods (capirotes), walk barefoot, or carry wooden crosses as acts of penance. While southern cities likeSeville,Málaga, andJerez de la Frontera are known for their dramatic and vibrant processions, northern regions such asZamora,León, andValladolid feature more austere and solemn commemorations. These processions combine religious devotion, public spectacle, art, music, and local identity, and many have been declaredFestivals of International Tourist Interest by the Spanish government.
In many Spanish-speaking countries ofLatin America, Semana Santa processions are among the most important religious and cultural events of the year. These processions, introduced during theSpanish colonial period, often mirror the structure and aesthetics ofSpanish Semana Santa while incorporating local traditions and artistic expressions. InMexico Spanish colonial traditions are often combined with indigenous influences, resulting in highly localized and varied observances. Cities likeIztapalapa,Taxco, andSan Luis Potosí host elaboratepassion plays and processions, with some involving thousands of participants reenacting the final days of Jesus’s life, while rural and Indigenous communities incorporate unique regional customs.Guatemala also has elaborate processions during Holy Week which have drawn comparisons toMaya practices and survived despite some severe challenge from various anti-clerical regimes.
The Philippines which was under Spanish controluntil 1898 shows a marked Spanish heritage, and the time is still known asSemana Santa. Other areas such asTrapani in Sicily, have shown Spanish influence due to theirtime under Spanish control.
Maltese Holy Week processions have a number of influences, with a guild linked toFranciscan friars inRabat being the first to organise a procession in Malta. Malta's inclusion up to 1807 in thediocese of Palermo meant that there were strong influences from Sicily that in itself had influences from both Genoa and Spain.[2] Participants in Holy Week processions often dress in elaborate biblical or Roman costumes,[3] while in some towns, penitents walk with chains around their ankles in an echo of a medieval devotional practice.[2]Easter Sunday is marked by celebratory processions featuring statues of theRisen Christ, often carried at a run through the streets by local youths to symbolize joy and victory over death.[4]
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Trapani,Taranto,Chieti,Sulmona,Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto
